Black fungus claims five more lives in Varanasi

VARANASI: The black fungus or mucormycosis menace continues in Varanasi and surrounding regions with five more deaths reported between June 9 and Monday at Banaras Hindu University hospital. With the recent deaths the black fungus toll reached to the mark of 42 while 135 are under treatment.
Providing details of the new cases to TOI on Monday, the medical superintendent of BHU hospital Prof KK Gupta said the black fungus tally had reached up to 189 with 20 new patients diagnosed as infected by it since June 9. The black fungus infection claimed five more lives in past six days after which the toll has become 42, he added.
Amidst second wave of Covid-19 the cases of black fungus infection started spreading in the region after the BHU hospital reported its first case on April 30. A 54-year-old woman from Azamgarh, who was also comorbid and Covid-19 positive, was the first to succumb to this infection. Since then the number of fungal infection continued to increase massively at this hospital from east UP districts.
Of 189 confirmed cases of black fungus infection 12 patients have been discharged after getting cured so far while 135 are under treatment, he said adding, only six of them are admitted in Covid ward while others are being treated at non-Covid wards of the hospital. A total of 110 surgeries have been conducted upon mucormycosis infected patients at this hospital, he added.